eaton



Feb. 21, 1956 EATON 2,735,195

DISPOSABLE SLIPPER Filed April 13, 1955 INVENTOR. MARK 5. EATON HTTOIQVE/ United States Patent DISPOSABLE SLIPPER Mark S. Eaton, West Acton,Mass, assignor to Propack, Inc., Hingham, Mass, a corporation ofMassachusetts Application April 13, 1953, Serial No. 348,363 1 Claim.(Cl. 369) This invention relates to a disposable slipper useful inlocker rooms, hospitals, and the like. More particularly, it relates tosuch a slipper of a new, one-piece construction, economical tomanufacture, and having increased durability.

One disposable paper slipper heretofore in use comprises an upperportion and a separate sole portion, joined together by stitching aroundtheir peripheries. One disadvantage of this slipper is that it is moreeasily torn along the lines of stitch perforations, especially when wet.Another disadvantage is that the two-piece construction increases thecosts of manufacture.

Another disposable slipper heretofore used, while of one-piececonstruction, is unduly susceptible to tearing when in use. In it, flapsextending from each side of the forward part of a sole portion are bentupwardly to form an upper, and are cemented together along theirjunction, which runs from instep to toes. (To close the toe, a smallportion of this slipper is then folded back on itself at the toe andcemented to the previously formed upper.) When ones foot is pushed intosuch a slipper, or when ones instep rises as a step is taken, there is atendency for this cemented seam, which must bear fully any stresses, topull apart at the instep, particularly when the slipper is Wet. Thistendency is aggravated because of the fact that the upper portion of theslipper is wrinkled during walking, with the result that the cementedseam is weakened.

It is a purpose of the present invention to overcome the disadvantagesof these prior art slippers.

One object of my invention is to provide a new disposable slipper withgreatly improved resistance to tearing when being put on the foot orwhen being worn.

Another object of my invention is to provide such strength in a slippercomprising a one-piece integral element, and capable of beingeconomically manufactured.

Still another object is the provision of a disposable slipper which alsohas a sole of sufiicient thickness to have good scuff-resistance.

Yet another object of my new invention is to provide a slipper in whichthe weight of the body may be used to help hold together seams alongwhich portions of the slipper are joined together, thus giving additonalstrength and durability.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent fromthe following description taken in the light of the accompanyingdrawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the integral, one-piece blank from which my newdisposable slipper is folded, showing in dashed lines the lines alongwhich the blank is folded;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my new slipper; and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the bottom thereof.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 an integral,one-piece blank, indicated generally by the numeral 1, which may befolded and cemented so as to form the preferred embodiment of myslipper. The blank 2,735,195 Patented Feb. 21, 1956 may be cut fromcreped paper, canvas, or other inexpensive material suitable fordisposable slippers.

My new slipper includes a sole portion 2, an upper portion 4 foldedlyjoined thereto, and two flap portions 6 foldedly joined to said upperportion and cemented to said sole portion. In forming the slipper fromthe blank 1, all the blank except the sole portion 2 thereof is firstfolded about line b upwardly and inwardly with respect to said soleportion. The flap portions 6, which extend from the lateral edges of theupper portion 4 are then folded downwardly and inwardly on lines c and aso that they lie fiat against the lower surface of the sole portion 2,as shown in Fig. 3, and are cemented thereto.

In the preferred embodiment, the sole portion 2 is at its widest beneaththe instep, and tapers evenly therefrom to the narrower toe end 8thereof. The heel end 10 of the sole portion may suitably be narrower,to conform generally with the shape of the heel.

The lateral edges 11 of the upper 4, which correspond with the foldlines 0 and d, are tapered in the same manner as the lateral edges 13 ofthe sole portion 2, therebeneath, and are adjacent thereto in thecompleted slipper. The widths between said fold lines c and d are thesame as the corresponding widths of the sole portion 2, so that saidupper 4 lies fiat on said sole portion 2 when the slipper is not beingworn. The flexibility of the material used allows the sole portion 2 andthe upper 4 to move relative to each other and provide a suitableopening for the foot.

In my preferred embodiment the flap portions 6 are of substantially halfthe corresponding widths of the sole portion 2. Thus, the flap portionsextend underneath the entire foot, so that the weight of the wearertends to hold together the cemented seam when a step is taken. Inaddition, a double-layer sole is obtained, with desirable increasedresistance to scufling and ordinary wear. The fact that the cementedseam is beneath the sole portion 2 as described also prevents a directstress being exerted on the seam when the slipper is put on or when astep is taken. A substantial part of the stress is taken up by theslipper material itself, along the lateral edges 11 where the upperportion 4 and flap portion 6 come together alongside the sole portion 2,and especially at the points 14 on said edges. Only a portion of thestress tending to pull apart the upper portion and the sole portion ofmy new slipper is exerted on the cemented seam itself.

However, if desired, the flap portions may be of either greater or lesswidth. For example, each might be made to extend across substantiallythe full width of the sole portion, to widen and strengthen the cementedseams, to gain increased reinforcing effect from the weight of the body,and to give an even sturdier, triple-thickness sole. On the other hand,the flap portions may be made to extend across substantially less thanhalf the width of the sole portion without departing from the spirit ofmy invention.

In forming the blank 1, I prefer to extend the edge of each flap portion6 and the upper portion 4 smoothly without substantial change indirection past the respective fold lines 0 and d and into each other. Ihave found that such avoidance of change of direction in the vicinity ofthe points 14 of the blank 1 results in the edges of the flap portions 6extending smoothly into the instep end edge 12 of the upper portion 4and minimizes tearing of the slipper material in the completed slipper.This slipper material, as has been explained, itself takes up at thesefold lines a substantial fraction of the stresses that accompany use ofthe slipper.

It will be apparent that I have provided the art with a new disposableslipper ofone-piece construction that permits economical manufacture andthat has improved resistance to wear generally and to tearing inparticular. It will be apparent that other embodiments -of-my newslipper not described, withinuthegspirittand "scopeoftheappended-claim;will occur to those skilled integral :element ofdisposable material 'idefine'd by ea raw surrounding edge, said integral'elernenti :cornprisin g alongitudinally extending sole portion lhavingiintegral therewith at the toe end thereof an upper-portionadapted --tobe"folded back on said sole-portion along said toe end thereof, saidupper portion'havingintegral therewith V and extending laterallytherefrom on opposed sides thereof a pair of flap portions adapted-tobe' folded-down from said upper portion along a pair of fold linesbetween said vflap portions and :said ,upper'.portion. andvto t besecured beneath said sole portion, said upper portion and 'said flapportions beings defined r. oppositensaid 4. toe

end by adjoining portionsof said raw surrounding edge, said adjoiningportions merging into one another in smooth convex curves extendingacross said fold lines.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,265,089 Turbin Dec. 2, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 10,329 Swiss May 31, 1895

